During the Cold War, a remarkable story played out in Amsterdam. In Honthorststraat, there was a travel agency called "InTourist" of the Soviet Union. Here, people could book trips to the other side of the Berlin Wall to experience life there.
In 1981, the story took an interesting turn. On 30 March that year, which was also national squatting day, people squatted the building above the travel agency. This created tensions between the Netherlands and the Soviet Union. The squatters even tried to talk to the Russian Ambassador to arrange a rental agreement.
Initially, the Dutch government did not intervene. However, an investigation revealed that the building actually belonged to the Soviet Union. Eventually, the squatters were evicted from the building. This led to protests in the Netherlands, as it was felt that the government had given in to pressure from another country. This incident shows how complicated the situation was during the Cold War and how difficult decisions had to be made.
Sources. Story: Source story: https://onsamsterdam.nl/koude-oorlog-bereikt-amsterdam-sovjet-unie-dwingt-ontruiming-kraakpand-af Photos: Source photo: Nationaal Archief en Stadsarchief Amsterdam
